


All Hallows Month

by fangirl_squee



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, F/M, Halloween Costumes, M/M, Multi, background samsam in one scene, implied lem/emmanuel/fero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 09:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21251147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl_squee/pseuds/fangirl_squee
Summary: "So," says Hadrian, "What are we going to be this year?"Hella chucks him the bag. "Superman."





	All Hallows Month

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween everyone!!

Lem opens his eyes slowly, stretching out. It's the weekend, he's not working today, he doesn't have any assignments due anytime soon. He can finally relax. He spends a few minutes daydreaming about the day ahead before he gets up, perhaps he'll put together a picnic, visit Emmanuel at work and eat lunch by the lake-

As he steps into the kitchen a huge, black-feathered creature leaps out at him. Lem shrieks in terror, jumping backwards and covering his face with his arms.

Then, of course, he hears Fero's delighted cackle.

Lem lowers his arms. "What-  _ Fero _ !"

Fero waves his arms. The black wings he's strapped to them are so large they create a breeze, making the shopping list on the fridge flap back and forth. The beak he's drawn onto his face make his smile seem sharper than usual.

"Happy Halloween!"

"It's", Lem splutters for a moment. "Fero, it's the  _ first _ !"

"Yeah," says Fero, "The first day of Halloween."

"The first- oh no," says Lem, "Fero-"

Fero flaps his wings again, and Lem steps back, letting him through.

"Happy first of Halloween!" says Fero, heading out the front door.

Lem sits down at the kitchen table. Some of Fero's feathers are scattered under the table. Lem laughs, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Happy first of Halloween," says Lem, to himself.

\----

"So," says Hadrian, "What are we going to be this year?"

Hella chucks him the bag. "Superman."

Hadrian looks down at the picture on the front and immediately feels himself blush.  _ Superhero Flying Man _ , says the picture on the front, the man pictured grinning proudly with his hands on his hips and wearing what also must be an enormous codpiece underneath the knockoff Superman costume. At least, Hadrian hopes that's what it is, and not part of the costume.

Rosana looks over his shoulder. "Oh, that's a good one."

Hella nods, then frowns as she sees Hadrian's expression. "You don't like it?"

"No," says Hadrian quickly, "it's fine."

"Good," says Hella, "because I already cut the sleeves off mine and I don't think they'd let me return it."

"Maybe I should alter mine too," says Hadrian, looking down at the box, "it looks kind of... tight."

"Yeah," says Hella, "that's kind of the point."

"Sure," says Hadrian, "but it's... I guess I could wear bike shorts or something under it."

"I guess," says Hella.

"You'll be fine," says Rosana.

\----

Ephrim doesn't do costumes, but he  _ does  _ like Halloween parties. It's really the only time of the year he can really go all out with an outfit, and there's a pair of thigh-high red latex boots he's been dying to wear (his own fault, really, for buying them in the summer).

Then there's the burnt-orange cape, the fabric swirling as Ephrim tests outfits in his room. Ephrim grins, perfect. The faux fur trim on it feels luxurious, although he'll probably have to be careful where he leaves it at the party since it will absolutely be a nightmare to get dry-cleaned.

It takes him a few tries to find the base of the outfit, a tight black playsuit, the tops of the shorts just brushing the top of his boots, just barely visible under his cape. The effect is dramatic, almost flame-like as he spins in front of the mirror.

He grins at himself. Perfect.

\----

Lem opens his door carefully, slowly, holding his breath. The apartment is quiet. Fero's door is closed. Perhaps he's still asleep. It  _ is  _ earlier than Lem is usually up, his alarm carefully set to a low volume the night before.

He creeps towards the kitchen. His stuff is set out ready to go. All he has to do is get his bag, grab his lunch from the fridge, and he'll be out before Fero is awake enough to leap out at him in whatever today's costume is.

He pushes the kitchen door open slowly, letting out a breath of relief. No Fero is sight. He eases open the fridge, carefully closing it, and walks slowly to the front door, taking a wide step over the creaking floorboard.

Lem glances behind him. Fero's door is still closed. Lem grins to himself as he closes the door behind him and walks towards his car. He's done it! Quite simple really, all he had to do was-

"LEM!"

"AHH!"

Fero leaps out from behind Lem's car wearing what appears to be a strawberry costume.

Lem puts one hand on the side of the car to steady himself. " _ Fero _ !"

"Good morning!" says Fero, and cackles.

"I thought you were  _ asleep _ ," says Lem.

"And miss saying a happy Halloween morning to you?" says Fero, "Never! Also," he adds, "I knew you were going to be up early today, because you premade your lunch last night, and you basically never do that."

Lem groans, tipping his head up to the early morning sky for a moment before he looks down at Fero. He laughs.

"What are you  _ wearing _ ?"

"I'm a strawberry," says Fero, "Hey, since you're up, can you give me a ride to the library?"

"In," Lem waves a hand at him, " _ that _ ?"

"Yeah?" says Fero, "It's Halloween."

"It's still the first week of October," says Lem, but he does unlock the car so Fero can get in after him.

“The first week of  _ Halloween _ ,” says Fero.

\----

"So," says Throndir, "What am I going to be this year?"

Blue J holds the costume behind their back. "Drumroll please."

Ben nods, and drums on the table. Throndir laughs.

"This year," says Blue J dramatically, "you will be.... a scarecrow!"

They present up the costume proudly, holding it out to Throndir. Throndir and Ben both clap. Throndir takes the costume. It's a little heavier than he was expecting. He looks it over carefully, because that's what Blue J seems to expect him to do.

"So," says Blue J, tugging their sleeves to cover their hands, "what do you think?"

"It's good,' says Throndir, "it looks, uh- where did you get it from this year?"

Blue J pales a little. "Why?"

"No reason," says Throndir, "wherever you get these from must be upping their game, that's all. This fabric is way nicer, and they've done a good job with this synthetic straw around the cuffs-"

Ben grins. "Blue J made it!"

"No way, seriously?"

They grin at him, shyly. "I... yeah, I mean, you know I've been making my own stuff, and this seemed like good practice..."

"Good practise! Blue J..." Throndir looks down at the costume again before he looks up at them. "This is fantastic!"

He pulls them into a hug and they press their face into his shoulder, teenage awkwardness forgotten for a moment.

They lean back shuffling their feet. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it," says Throndir.

\----

Adaire picks Hella's costume up off the back of the couch, sighing.

"What?" says Hella.

"Nothing," says Adaire.

Hella pauses the game she’s playing. "No, what?"

"I wish you'd let me make you a  _ nice _ costume," says Adaire.

"I know," says Hella, "but Hadrian and I have this tradition..."

"No, I know..." says Adaire, carefully, "but it's- wouldn't you rather wear something  _ nice _ ?"

Hella shrugs. "Not really. I mean, it's just Halloween."

"I suppose," says Adaire.

Hella puts the controller down, reaching up over the back of the couch for Adaire's hand. "You okay? I mean, I thought you didn't even like Halloween."

"I don't," says Adaire quickly, "it's a dumb party-excuse holiday."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just- I want you to have nice things," says Adaire.

Hella grins, shifting up onto her knees, bringing her face level to Adaire. " _ Babe _ -"

"Stop it," says Adaire, but she can feel herself smile, leaning towards Hella for a kiss.

"I know you'll look nice enough for the both of us," says Hella, "whatever your mystery costume is."

Adaire smiles, thinking of the costume, almost finished, in her sewing room, and keeps her secrets.

\----

This time, Lem thinks, this time he's got it for sure. He's up early. He didn't premake any lunch. He left everything where he usually leaves it. He's wrapped his car keys up in cushioning so Fero can't hear them. He's going to put his shoes on outside so the noise won't alert Fero.

Also, Fero was staying at Throndir's last night so he's not even home to jump out at Lem, but when it comes to Fero and the month of October, you can never be  _ too _ careful.

And so, with confidence, Lem opens his bedroom door and almost gets hit in the face by a cardboard cutout swinging down into the doorway. Lem screams and staggers back to sit on the bed.

The cardboard cutout of Fero, dressed as a cowboy, grins back at him. There's a little note taped to its hand.

_ Happy Halloween Lem! _

"It's  _ October 15th _ !" says Lem.

The cutout, unlike Fero, says nothing.

\----

"So, what are you going to be?" says Hella, "For Halloween, I mean."

"A princess," says Adelaide. She looks down at Hella. "You?"

"A superhero."

"Mm, I can see that."

Hella feels herself blush.

"And Adaire?" says Adelaide.

"Adaire? Oh- I don't know," says Hella, "She always keeps it a secret until the party."

"Really?" says Adelaide, "How  _ mysterious _ ."

"Yeah," says Hella, "She, uh, she makes them herself too, it's pretty cool."

"I had no idea she was so talented."

"Yeah, I know," says Hella, "She keeps pretty quiet about it, but she's really good."

Adelaide hums. "Maybe I'll have to get her to make me something some time." She gives Hella a sly look out the corner of her eye. "Might make you jealous though, if I keep having to go over for dress fittings."

Hella's throat goes a little dry. "I wouldn't mind."

"No?" says Adelaide, "Perhaps I will ask her then."

"You should," says Hella, "You should, she's fantastic-"

"If you keep talking that way and I'll be the one who gets jealous," says Adelaide.

"No, I mean, you're great too-"

Adelaide pulls her down for a kiss, which is probably for the best.

\----

"Throndir!" says Red Jack, "Guess what I am going to be for Halloween!"

Throndir pretends to think about it for a moment. "Ace?"

Red Jack laughs. "Yes!"

"I guess if it's not broke don't fix it, huh?"

"Exactly!" says Red Jack, "The kid's school has asked me to come in again with Ace for their Halloween party!"

"It's good of you to do that."

"It's nothing," says Red Jack, "They all tell me scary stories, or as scary as they can make ones."

"You're not going to tell  _ them  _ stories again, are you?"

"No," says Red Jack, a little sadly, "last year I believe I frightened the teachers too much. I will just have to tell my kids the stories to pass on to the others."

Throndir huffs a laugh. "Okay, sure." He pauses. "You need help getting Ace into the costume?"

"That would be wonderful!" says Red Jack. "Ace loves the costume, but he lacks hands to put it on."

\----

Lem awakes the day before Halloween with dread, covering his face with his hand and looking at his phone between splayed fingers.

"Lem?" says Emmanuel, sounding half-asleep.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," says Lem. He sighs. "Although I'm sure Fero will do it soon enough."

Emmanuel frowns sleepily at him. "Fero?"

"He's been torturing me all month," says Lem, "he gets really into Halloween and he keeps scaring me."

Emmanuel blinks up at him, frowning. "He keeps.... scaring you?"

"Yes he- well he, it's sort of... He jumps out at me, in the morning," says Lem. He frowns. "Wait, you've been here this month, he doesn't do it to you?"

"No," says Emmanuel. He's smiling at Lem, fond and a little bemused, which isn't unfair given the early hour.

"Really?" says Lem.

Emmanuel shakes his head. "The only time we've really even talked about Halloween was when he was helping me find a new sash for my pirate costume."

"Oh, you're going as a sexy pirate again this year?"

"Just a regular pirate," says Emmanuel.

"I don't think you could ever be just a  _ regular _ pirate,” says Lem.

Emmanuel laughs.

"Wait," says Lem, "So Fero really hasn't-"

There's a knock at their bedroom door.

"Fero?"

"Yeah, who else would it be?" says Fero, his voice muffled by the door.

"What do you want?"

"Can I come in?"

"No," says Lem, "absolutely not, unless you promise not to jump out at me."

There's a pause. "I don't know what you mean."

" _ Fero _ -" says Lem.

Emmanuel puts a hand on Lem's chest. "Look, I'll open the door."

"Emmanuel, no, I can't let you do that," says Lem.

Emmanuel stands up, very bravely, and moves to the door, opening it very heroically. Lem holds his breath.

Nothing happens, no Fero leaping out, no frightened Emmanuel. Instead, Emmanuel laughs.

"Lem," says Emmanuel, "Lem you have to see this."

Lem grips the sheets. "What is he now?"

Fero steps into the doorway, hands on his hips. He doesn't seem to be in a costume at all, dressed in jeans, a too-large t-shirt advertising last years poetry slam, and familiar-looking glasses.

"Good morning!" says Fero.

He's putting on some kind of voice that Lem can't really place, almost-but-not-quite an accent. Lem frowns.

"Is that my t-shirt?" says Lem, “Wait a minute, are those my spare glasses?”

"Of course!" says Fero, continuing with his strange voice.

"Why does this costume need my things?"

Emmanuel laughs again.

"What?" says Lem.

"You don't see it?" says Emmanuel.

"See what?" says Lem.

"He's  _ you  _ today," says Emmanuel.

Fero grins, looking extremely pleased with himself. "Yes, hello, I am Lem King."

"That's- what are you- I don't sound anything like that!" splutters Lem.

"You sounds exactly like this actually," says Fero.

Lem huffs, crossing his arms. "This is worse than jumping out at me. And I do  _ not _ ."

Fero grins, giving an exaggerated huff and crossing his arms, mirroring Lem’s pose. "Do so."

"I don't know if it's exact, but you've got the look right," says Emmanuel.

Fero's grin widens. "Thank you Emmanuel, my wonderful boyfriend."

Lem gasps and sits forward, mouth open to say something although he has no idea what. He opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, which seems to delight Fero.

"Well," says Emmanuel, before Lem can figure out what exactly he wants to say, "two Lems. I must be very lucky."

"Nah," says Fero, in his normal voice.

"Hey!" says Lem.

Emmanuel laughs. "Well come on Lem one and Lem two, I suppose we should eat breakfast. We're supposed to help with the party decorations today."

"Okay," says Fero, going back to his Lem voice, "come on Lem two."

"Lem- you're Lem two!" says Lem, stumbling out of bed to follow them.

\----

The party is as elaborate as it is every year, the hall Samot and Samothes have rented out made almost unrecognisable with the decorations on it, starting from the outside in, the plain space transformed into a castle-like structure.

People in costumes of all kinds pass servers in blue suits, carrying platters of food and drinks themed for the occasion. Samot and Samothes greet people at the door, Samothes in a sheer blue robe with wineglass in hand, Samot in Samothes's customary short robe and stippled on beard.

Hadrian waves to Hella as she arrives and she smiles, heading over to him with Adelaide and Adaire in tow. Adelaide is wearing something that surely must be a custom gown, draped in pearls, her matching pearl crown gleaming under the low lights. Adaire is a small figure in black beside her, and Hadrian frowns for a moment.

"Oh," says Hadrian, "catwoman?"

Adaire tilts her head in a nod.

"If I'd known I would have grabbed the batman costume," says Hella.

"We don't have to match," says Adaire.

"Yeah," says Hadrian, "Rosana's here as Princess Bubblegum."

"I like that it's a surprise," says Adelaide.

If Hadrian didn't know better, he'd swear Adaire was blushing slightly under her mask.

"Yeah, well. Maybe one day we'll match by accident," says Adaire.

They find Throndir and Ephrim at the bar, and Hella can hear Red Jack’s booming laugh drifting in through the patio doors. 

“Great scarecrow costume,” says Hadrian.

Throndir holds his arms out, looking proud. “Blue J made it!”

"It’s all Ben's talked about all week," says Hadrian.

Throndir smiles. "I can see why. They did a really good job on it."

Hella leaves Hadrian discussing Ben and Blue J while she and Adelaide go in search of punch. Well, she searches, Adelaide drapes herself over Hella’s shoulders in a distracting fashion.

She catches sight of Emmanuel, Lem, and Fero arriving, late as usual. Emmanuel waves at her as Lem and Fero follow behind, deep in an argument with one another.

“Pirate again?” says Adelaide.

Emmanuel shrugs. “It keeps things simple, I don’t have to worry about what costume to wear.”

“Unlike  _ some _ people,” says Fero.

“I found one eventually!” says Lem.

“After like three  _ hours _ of fussing,” says Fero.

“And you are…?” says Adelaide.

Lem points to the thin line of eyeliner along his forehead. ”Frankenstien’s monster.”

“Ah,” says Adelaide, “Of  _ course _ .”

“I didn’t have a lot of time to think of a costume!” says Lem, “Fero was torturing me all month with his!”

Fero, dressed in his usual jeans and a t-shirt with a bird on it, shrugged.

“Oh, yes,” says Emmanuel, “you should have seen his costume yesterday, it was so funny-”

“It was  _ not _ ,” says Lem.

“It  _ did _ sound funny,” says Hella, at the same time.

“ _ Hella _ !” says Lem.

“He did a voice too,” says Emmanuel, “Fero, do the voice.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” says Fero, in a very strange tone of voice.

Emmanuel laughs and Fero grins up at him.

“That doesn’t sound anything like me!” sys Lem.

“Well, imitation is one of the highest forms of flattery,” says Adelaide.

“I do  _ not _ feel flattered,” says Lem, “Maybe next year I’ll go as  _ you _ and see how  _ you  _ like it.”

“That sounds great actually,” says Fero, “good luck fitting into one of my t-shirts.”

In the dim lights, Hella can see Emmanuel blush faintly. She grins.

The music changes as the band finish their setup and launch into a song, cutting off conversation as people flood to the dancefloor.

She can see Hadrian and Rosana on the edge of the crowd, Ephrim pulling Throndir into the middle. Beside her, Emmanuel, Lem and Fero turn towards the dance floor, looking at each other out of the corner of her eye.

Adaire catches her eye from across the room, tilting her head towards them as she follows. Hella steps towards her, tangling Adelaide’s hand in her’s.

"Come on," says Hella, "Let's go dance."

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> come say hi: mariusperkins on most places


End file.
